Imagination is used in a lot of ways: from empathizing with others, engaging with music and literature, and planning the future to dreaming, art-making or conducting philosophical thought experiments. This course investigates a variety of questions related to imagination. What is the nature of mental imagery? What is the role of the self in imagination? How does imagination function in art-making, philosophical thought experiments and scientific discoveries? What are the moral and conceptual constraints on imagination? Can imagination be transformative for moral and creative lives? (E)

This is an interactive lab class giving students hands-on experience working with techniques used in the study of cellular neuroscience. Techniques include: sterile cell culture, transfection (overexpression and siRNA), immunocytochemistry, cellular signaling assays and a variety of cellular functional assays. Major physiological mechanisms that underlie cellular signaling mechanisms are explored through the discussion of recent scientific literature with an emphasis on innovative techniques and strategies which allow researchers to test hypotheses and advance new concepts.

An exploration of women’s participation in local, national and transnational politics. This course considers the expansion of women’s rights and representation and the role of women in international governance and transnational advocacy, while also investigating topics related to public health, security, work, the environment and development. Students discuss avenues for women’s political participation across the Global South, including cases from the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe. Designation: Comparative. Enrollment limited to 25.

This course examines industry structure and firm behavior under imperfect competition and the public policy response to abuse of market power. There is evidence that market power is becoming increasingly entrenched in many industries. This can lead to inefficient outcomes and lower welfare.

Principles and practices of human-computer interaction, with a focus on human-centered design. This course provides a foundation in the methods and tools for conducting user research, gathering requirements, designing prototypes and evaluating interactive interfaces. Discussions include human capabilities, ethnographic methods, universal design, interface technology and usability testing. Students work in teams on a substantive interaction design project. Prerequisite: CSC 210. Enrollment limited to 30.

An immersive research experience in observational astrophysics for students who have completed AST 337. Students design an independent scientific observing program and carry it out at the WIYN 0.9m telescope on Kitt Peak, AZ in January. The rest of the semester is spent reducing and analyzing the data obtained and preparing scientific results for presentation. Professional techniques of CCD imaging, photometry, astrometry and statistical image analysis are applied using research-grade software.

This course introduces the computational, statistical and data visualization techniques essential